NEW MELLE BOARD OF ALDERMEN

MEETING

JULY 23, 2009

 

MINUTES

 

CALL TO ORDER- MAYOR JAN MUSKOPF CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 7:50 P.M.

ROLL CALL- ALDERMEN PRESENT:  DOUG BICE, DON HENDRICH AND GARY SCHNEIDER AND MAYOR JAN MUSKOPF.  ALSO PRESENT: CHIEF AARON BURKEMPER, CITY ATTORNEY STEPHANIE KARR, FINANCIAL DIRECTOR RONNA ALANIZ AND CITY CLERK JO ANN DICKHERBER.  ALDERWOMAN GREEN WAS ABSENT.  

 

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – RECITED.

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES –  JULY 9, 2009 – ALDERMAN HENDRICH MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN BICE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION PASSED 3-0.

 

FINANCIAL REPORT – JUNE, 2009 – ALDERMAN HENDRICH SAID HE HAD SOME QUESTIONS BUT WOULD SAVE THEM TILL ANOTHER TIME. 

                           

POLICE REPORT –  JUNE,  2009 - POLICE CHIEF AARON BURKEMPER REPORTED THE JUNE REPORT WAS DISCUSSED AT THE LAST MEETING. 

              BOARD OF ALDERMAN RIDE ALONGS – THE CITY ATTORNEY STATED CHIEF BURKEMPER WOULD NEED TO CHECK WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY, MOPERM, TO SEE WHAT THEIR POLICY IS ON RIDE ALONGS.

 

THE BOARD DECIDED TO MAKE A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING ST. CHARLES COUNTY’S “PROPOSITION PUBLIC SAFETY” WHICH WILL BE ON THE AUGUST 4, 2009 BALLOT.  THE MAYOR READ THE TITLE OF THE RESOLUTION – “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF NEW MELLE VOICING SUPPORT FOR PROPOSITION PUBLIC SAFETY WHICH WILL ENSURE EMERGENCY SERVICES RADIO SYSTEMS TO MEET THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION MANDATE FOR EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS.”  ALDERMAN BICE MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN HENDRICH TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION WAS APPROVED 3-0.

 

CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER REPORT- JULY, 2009-  THE BOARD REVIEWED THE REPORT.  THEY DISCUSSED THE SIGNS PUT UP AT STRAATMANN’S FEED WITHOUT THE PROPER PERMITS.  THE BOARD ALSO WANT THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TO CHECK THE FLASHING SIGN AT DIVE STOP AND THE SMALL SIGN ALONG HIGHWAY Z REGARDING A FAX TRANSMISSION SERVICE AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE IN COMPLAINCE WITH CITY CODES.

 

STREET AND SIDEWALK DISCUSSION WITH JOHN CHOINKA- CANCELLED FOR TONIGHT’S MEETING WILL BE RESCHEDULED AT A FUTURE MEETING.

             

OLD BUSINESS

              WINDOW BIDS –

WORKER’S COMPENSATION REQUIREMENT - CITY ATTORNEY KARR STATED THE CITY IS OKAY ON THE INSURANCE.  WORKER’S COMPENSATION IS FOR EMPLOYERS WHO ARE STATUTORY EMPLOYERS SO THE CITY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE.

 

THE BOARD REVIEWED THE BIDS OPENED AT THE LAST MEETING. THE BOARD DECIDED TO GO WITH THE LOWEST BID AND TO GO WITH THE LIFETIME GUARANTEED WINDOWS FOR A BID OF $4,200.00 WHICH WAS FROM COMPLETE HOME EXTERIORS BUT THE CITY MUST FIRST RECEIVE AN INSURANCE CERTIFICATE AND PREVAILING WAGE DOCUMENTS FROM THE CONTRACTOR. ALDERMAN HENDRICH MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN BICE TO APPROVE THE PROPOSAL FROM COMPLETE HOME EXTERIORS FOR WINDOW REPLACEMENT UPON RECEIPT OF THE INSURANCE CERTIFICATE AND PREVAILING WAGE DOCUMENTS.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION WAS APPROVED 3-0.                                         

 

CITY HALL OFFICE REMODEL – ALDERMAN BICE IS WORKING ON GETTING A PLAN FOR THE CITY HALL OFFICE REMODEL AND NEEDS MORE TIME.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

MID YEAR BUDGET REVIEW – MAYOR MUSKOPF STATED SHE UNDERSTANDS THAT THE CITY WAS GOING TO MAKE SOME NEW POSITIONS AND SINCE THAT WASN’T DONE THOSE BUDGET FUNDS CAN BE REALLOCATED, BUT SHE WANTED TO KNOW WHY THE FINANCIAL DIRECTOR WAS NOT KEEPING A BETTER EYE ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS PART-TIME WAGES.  THE FINANCIAL DIRECTOR STATED THAT SHE HAD BEEN WATCHING IT AND HAD DISCUSSED IT WITH THE POLICE CHIEF, AND SINCE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT LOST AN OFFICER IN APRIL, THAT DID NOT HELP MATTERS.  POLICE CHIEF BURKEMPER STATED HE HAS NOW CUT HOURS AND HE HAD PLANNED ON DOING SAME PLAN AS HE HAD IN ENFORCE LAST YEAR, BUT IT HAS NOT WORKED THIS YEAR.

ALDERMAN HENDRICH WANTED TO KNOW WHY WE ARE ADJUSTING THE BUDGET FIGURES IN MID YEAR.  HE BELIEVES A BUDGET IS A YARDSTICK, A BENCHMARK, AND A GUIDE AND ADJUSTING THE BUDGET JUST DISTORTS THE NUMBERS AT THE END OF THE YEAR. FINANCIAL DIRECTOR ALANIZ EXPLAINED CITYS ADJUST THEIR BUDGETS TO REFLECT THE DIRECTION ITEMS ARE GOING IN, SO PEOPLE KNOW THE NEW SPENDING LIMITS.  SHE STATED THE BUDGET DOES NOT NEED TO BE AMENDED, BUT BELIEVES IT IS A GOOD PRACTICE TO GO THROUGH AND REVIEW.  CITY ATTORNEY KARR EXPLAINED THERE IS ONE CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE LEGALLY THE CITY SHOULD AMEND THE BUDGET AND THAT IS WHEN THERE ARE ADDITIONAL REVENUE THE CITY MUST APPROPRIATE THESE FUNDS FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES BEFORE THEY CAN BE SPENT.  ALDERMAN HENDRICH STATED IN THIS CASE THERE WERE NO NEW FUNDS ONLY DECREASES IN FUNDS. 

THE MAYOR ASKED IF OTHER CITIES USUALLY AMEND THE BUDGET.  CITY ATTORNEY KARR SAYS YES THEY DO BUT IT MAY BE AT ANYTIME IN THE YEAR. 

THE FINANCIAL DIRECTOR STATED THAT CURRENTLY COURT REVENUES HAVE JUST BEEN ENOUGH TO COVER SALARIES AND IF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PART-TIME SALARIES CONTINUE TO BE THE SAME THERE COULD BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND THE CITY HAS ALREADY CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN THE BUDGET AMOUNT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR.  SHE STATED CASH IS ALL WE HAVE TO SPEND, BUT SOME FUNDS ARE ONLY TO BE USED FOR CERTAIN ITEMS.  THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FUNDS, WHICH IS AROUND $53,000 PRESENTLY, CAN ONLY BE SPENT ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, SUCH AS CITY HALL IMPROVEMENTS AND THE POLICE CAR.  THE TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX FUNDS, WHICH IS AROUND $114,000 PRESENTLY, CAN ONLY BE USED FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION, SIDEWALKS, CURBING, ETC.   

CHIEF BURKEMPER ASKED WHY THERE WASN’T AN ADJUSTMENT MADE TO THE BUDGET FOR THE NEWEST POLICE CAR WHEN IT WAS BOUGHT, IF THAT WAS DONE AT THAT TIME, IT WOULD HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE BUDGET NUMBERS PERCENTAGES.  THE MAYOR AGREED THE BUDGET SHOULD HAVE BEEN AMENDED IN JANUARY FOR THE NEWEST CAR.  AFTER MUCH DISCUSSION, THE BOARD DECIDED TO USE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUNDS FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE POLICE CAR WHICH HAPPENED IN JANUARY, 2009.

THE MAYOR EXPLAINED IN THE SITUATION NOW, THE OTHER ADJUSTMENTS TO THE BUDGET WAS JUST TO REALLOCATE BUDGET LINE ITEMS THAT WERE NOT GOING TO BE USED TO OTHER LINE ITEMS.  THE CITY DID NOT HIRE A CITY ADMINISTRATOR SO THOSE FUNDS COULD BE REALLOCATED AND SINCE THE FINANCIAL DIRECTOR PUT IN MORE HOURS THAT NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTED AND SINCE THERE WAS NO BOOKKEEPER THAT COULD BE ADJUSTED.  THE FINANCIAL DIRECTOR STATED THE PART-TIME OFFICERS SALARIES BUDGET AMOUNT IS STILL A CONCERN AND IT CAN BE LEFT AS IS OR CHANGED.  ALDERMAN HENDRICH ASKED POLICE CHIEF BURKEMPER IF HE PICKED UP ANOTHER PART-TIME OFFICER.  CHIEF BURKEMPER STATED ACTUALLY HE LOST AN OFFICER.  ALDERMAN HENDRICH ASKED SO THERE WASN’T ENOUGH BUDGETED IN THE FIRST PLACE.  CHIEF BURKEMPER STATED HE TOOK A GAMBLE THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THE EXTRA HOURS BECAUSE THE INCOME WOULD REFLECT THAT AND MORE, BUT IT DIDN’T WORK.  HE DID THAT LAST YEAR, THEY WERE OVER PART TIME HOURS LAST YEAR AND THE INCOME LEVELS COVERED IT.  HE STATED THE PART-TIME HOURS NOW ARE AT THE BARE MININUM.  HE HAS A PART TIME OFFICERS WORKING FRIDAY NIGHT, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AND ON THURSDAY MORNINGS. THIS GIVES COVERAGE WHEN PEOPLE ARE HOME ON THE WEEKEND AND AN ACCIDENT MAY HAPPEN AND TO COVER FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS WHICH IS THE BUSIEST NIGHTS. 

BILL #303 – 2009 MID YEAR BUDGET AMENDMENT - THE FINANCIAL DIRECTOR STATED THAT EXHIBIT “A” OF THE BILL SHOWS THE CHANGES THAT SHE RECOMMENDS TO BE CHANGED FOR THE BUDGET FOR THE CITY AND POLICE BUDGET, WITH NO CHANGES FOR THE COURT. 

THE BOARD DECIDED TO CHANGE THE BUDGET TO HAVE THE FUNDS FOR THE POLICE CAR TO COME OUT OF THE CITY’S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FUNDS AND TO REALLOCATE THE BUDGET LINE ITEMS IN THE CITY THAT WERE NOT BEING USED TO OTHER LINE ITEMS IN THE BUDGET WHERE THEY WERE NEEDED AND REDUCE THE SALES TAX REVENUES. THERE WOULD BE NO LINE ITEM CHANGES TO THE POLICE OR COURT’S BUDGET.  THE FINANCIAL DIRECTOR WILL MAKE UP A NEW EXHIBIT “A” TO BE ATTACHED TO THE BILL.

ALDERMAN BICE MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN SCHNEIDER TO HAVE THE FIRST READING, SHORT FORM.    ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION PASSED 3-0. 

AFTER THE FIRST READING, ALDERMAN BICE MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN SCHNEIDER TO ACCEPT THE FIRST READING AS SHORT FORM OF BILL #303.  A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION CARRIED 3-0.

ALDERMAN BICE MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN SCHNEIDER TO HAVE THE SECOND READING, SHORT FORM, BY TITLE ONLY.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION WAS APPROVED 3-0. 

AFTER THE SECOND READING, ALDERMAN BICE MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN SCHNEIDER TO ACCEPT THE SECOND READING AS SHORT FORM OF BILL #303.  A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION CARRIED 3-0.

ALDERMAN BICE MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN SCHNEIDER TO APPROVE BILL NO. 303 AND ORDINANCE NO. 293 ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION PASSED 3-0 AS FOLLOWS: AYES ALDERMAN HENDRICH,  ALDERMAN SCHNEIDER AND ALDERMAN BICE, NAYES NONE.               

             

OPEN FORUM – THERE WERE NO ITEMS DISCUSSED.

 

REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF BILLS – AFTER REVIEW OF THE JULY BILLS PAID AND BILLS THAT NEEDED TO BE PAID NEXT WEEK, ALDERMAN HENDRICH MAD A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN BICE TO APPROVE THE BILLS.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION PASSED 3-0.

 

ADJOURNMENT- ALDERMAN BICE MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN HENDRICH TO ADJOURN.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION WAS APPROVED 3-0.   THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 9:05 P.M.